Sylvan-Highlands Neighborhood Association (SHNA)

December 2002 Newsletter

Dec 23, 2002

December 2002
SHNA Newsletter

Happenings
December 4, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Carousel sound test at the World Forestry Center.
Come and hear the impact of the band organ on neighboring properties.

December 11, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Sylvan-Highlands neighborhood will host a holiday party at the Oregon Zoo on Zoo Lights is a free event for family and friends of Sylvan-Highlands. Check in at the Zoo office and bring a plate of cookies to share. Meet at the Trillium and Lupine Classrooms, #3 & #4, by the concert lawn. This is a change of location from past events.

December 12, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
City of Portland Parks and Water Bureaus will conduct an open meeting on the topic of protecting/enclosing the open reservoirs in Washington Park. Come to learn and participate in the process. The current proposal calls for a temporary cover, which resembles a pool cover, to be installed for 8-10 years until a more permanent solution can be implemented. The meeting will be held at the Children?’s Museum across from the Oregon Zoo.

Updates
Many long hours of review on the part of Chairman Dave Malcolm, Bylaws Committee, and the assistance of committee members, Elizabeth Ohlmann and Arlen Sheldrake, have yielded a thoughtfully revised and improved set of governing documents for our organization. Revised bylaws and articles of incorporation for SHNA were passed at the regular membership meeting on November 12. Once the legal paperwork is finalized, the documents will be available online at www.neighborhoodlink.com/portland/shna or can be obtained from our coalition office, Neighbors West/Northwest, at 503-223-3331. Special thanks to our coalition director, Mark Sieber, for his invaluable help.

Crime Prevention Chair, P.K. Wall, reports that car prowls and mail thefts continue to be our most commonly reported crimes. Lock your cars, park in the garage, and do not leave items of value exposed in the car. Even small amounts of money are enough to trigger a break-in for drug users. Do not put important mail in your outgoing mailbox. Take it to a secure post office box. Collect your mail as soon after delivery as possible.
Be careful about what you place in the recycling bin for trash collection. Police report individuals combing through trash for valuable information to commit identity theft.

Two recent reports of burglaries to homes in neighboring Arlington Heights (just east of the Zoo) remind us to be alert during the holidays. Lock your doors, leave lights on, and be vigilant about watching for unusual behavior on your street. Report anything strange to the police immediately. Non emergency: 823-3333; for anything happening right now, dial 911. Tell your neighbors if you are leaving town so they can watch your home. Crime prevention is all about communication!

Show your appreciation
Our neighborhood coalition office, Neighbors West/Northwest, needs your support. A holiday wreath sale was authorized by the NW Coalition Board to generate necessary funds to fill a $4,000+ gap in the budget. Fliers were delivered to all households in SHNA, but if you did not have the chance to place an order, your tax-deductible donation is encouraged. The coalition office has supported Sylvan-Highlands in the following areas this year: land use advice concerning the Strohecker property sale and the Tibetan Peace Center proposal, transportation information concerning the Tanner Creek Stream Diversion Project on Burnside and the ODOT construction project at Sylvan Interchange, bylaws and articles of incorporation revision, organizational and outreach help for the neighborhood, and regular input at membership and board meetings. Please consider a contribution at any level to support the good work of our coalition staff. Make checks payable to Neighbors West/Northwest, a 501 ?© (3). Send your donations to 1819 NW Everett, # 205, Portland, 97214. A receipt will be mailed.

Representatives needed
Vacancies exist for the following Board positions: SW 58th, 60th, Clay & Mill;
SW Upland Dr.; SW Fairhaven Dr. & Ln.; SW Skyline Blvd., Sylvan business area at Westgate; SW Arboretum & W. Burnside. If you live on any of these streets and wish to represent the interests of your street, please contact Sally Kneuven @ 226-4850.

Remember: To vote at SHNA meetings, you must be a registered member of the neighborhood association. For information about how to become a member, please contact Dave Malcolm, 503-221-7903 or davem@advisoryfirm.com

Have a joyous holiday season!